Testing time

It comes as news of importance: the formation of a high-level national committee in Nepal headed by the Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister to coordinate the issues of interest of the Least Developed Countries (LDCs). This comes in line with Nepal having been chosen as the chair of the Global Coordination Bureau. It is to see over the LDC affairs for the next three years taking over from Bangladesh a month later, which means it would chair the 49-member LDC group. It is the responsibility that has to borne in the mind rather than the honour of being able to represent the LDCs. A meeting of the group of the Least Developed Countries (LDCs), held in New York, at the envoy level focused on topics related to the preparation for the Fourth United Nations Conference on the Least Developed Countries to be held in Turkey in 2011, and the issues of interest of the LDCs in the run up to the World Summit on Food Security to be held in Rome from 16-18 November. Now, it becomes the responsibility of being the leader of the LDC group to plead, argue, intervene and work on issues of interest to the least developed countries. The aegis that the United Nations provides has to be welcomed for the LDCs to come up as one to highlight their plight in making the global community realize the need to spruce up their tendency to sideline the issues which affect the most deprived sections of people living in the 49 countries that comprise the group that Nepal will chair.

However, it is easier said than done. The experience that Nepal has gathered as a least developed, landlocked country will come in useful when a comprehensive presentation has to be made in the global forum on behalf of the LDCs’ group. But, being in the lead of such a group will take more effort, because the LDCs are all characterized by the evils of poverty, illiteracy, lack of awareness, deficiency in infrastructure development, lackluster performance of the economy and the like. Nepal’s experience may be a point in understanding the difficulties and underdevelopment of the other members of the group, but it also would be testing ground as to how well Nepal can live up to the expectation. More than the verbal and written marathons, the need will be able to stimulate the concrete actions that will come as the boost to the LDCs in being able to write their name off from this rather lowest rung of countries in the global community.

More than any rejoicing, the gauntlet in the ring has to be picked up, and the punches have to be delivered at all the ailments that deter the LDCs from being able to walk the same road as the advanced and developed countries. On the question, will Nepal as the chair of group be able to make any difference for itself and the group members? This is a moot question that does not see an immediate response. It is not the chair that will decide the fate of the group members, but it is the global community that have to realize the issues that plague the LDCs and offer practical suggestions and tangible assistance to do the needful. Having been a member of the UN for so long, the sheen has to reflect the mettle with which the country will be able to justify its role as the chair of the LDCs group.

Flip over

It’s getting dangerous commuting in the capital city with as many as 278 accidents recorded in the first quarter of this fiscal year alone. According to a study, accidents were more likely to place between dusk to dawn. This comes as no big surprise because this is often the time when some vehicle drivers are prone to drunken driving which is the major cause of traffic accidents. Apart from this, the other causes cited for the higher number of accidents during this period are overtaking, speeding, overloading and carelessness. What more the study has also shown that certain sections of the capital’s roads are particularly susceptible to accidents.

So it behooves on all, and on the vehicle drivers in particular, to be responsible and not to drive inebriated and also to exercise caution while driving

during the period from dusk to dawn when most of the accidents occur. In the meantime, more studies should be done on the pattern of accidents so as device precautions to reduce their incidence and save many people from losing their lives or being maimed. To own up is the right move rather than pass the buck around.